Newcastle United transfer target reveals 'preferred' destination as talks take place

Newcastle United could miss out on one key January transfer target after it was revealed Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is keen to move away from the Premier League.

The 31-times capped England star has struggled to gain regular first-team football since joining the reigning Premier League champions in a £42m deal during the summer of 2022 and has made just six starts in all competitions since moving to the Etihad Stadium.

City boss Pep Guardiola have regularly answered questions on Phillips’ short and long-term future with the club and admitted he was unsure what could lie ahead for the midfielder following a rare 90-minute appearance in a Champions League group stage win against Red Star last month.

Speaking after the game, the former Barcelona boss said: "I don't know what's going to happen. Now he's here and there are a lot of games until the end of January and hopefully he can help us."

That remains Phillips’ last start for the Champions League winners and there is growing speculation the 28-year-old will be allowed to leave City over the coming weeks after the likes of Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Juventus all showed some interest in securing his services.

However, The Athletic’s David Ornstein has suggested the former Leeds United star has a preference for a move into Europe and confirmed Serie A giants Juve have already held talks over a possible loan deal.

Speaking in a Q&A on the Athletic website, he said: “His preference is to go abroad, but nothing has been decided yet. Juventus approached Manchester City a while back and conversations continue. The issue here is whether Massimiliano Allegri wants to take Phillips. Newcastle haven’t moved yet. Perhaps that changes later in the window, but it will depend on the return dates of their injured players.

"There’s a good chance they don’t move for him at all. Crystal Palace are among the other clubs to have enquired, but no developments there. The reported Paris Saint-Germain interest is not accurate, as I understand it.”